William Barr is the leading candidate to become Donald Trump’s next attorney general, the Washington Post reports.

Barr served as attorney general under the George HW Bush administration.

The decision is not final. Trump has filled the job, temporarily and controversially, with Matthew Whitaker after pushing out Jeff Sessions.

House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi said Thursday she is open to the idea of imposing term limits on committee chairs.

“That is a matter before the caucus,” Pelosi said when asked about reports she was warming to the idea of term limits, according to the Washington Times. “I have always been sympathetic to the concerns expressed by our members on that subject.”

Many newly-elected Democrats have expressed support for term limits but they are opposed by members of the Congressional Black Caucus.

The Senate has confirmed a controversial Donald Trump pick for an energy agency.

The Senate voted 50 to 49 to approve Bernard McNamee for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the Hill reported.

Democrats opposed the pick because he has been a vocal defender of fossil fuels, opponent of renewable energy, and does not accept the science of climate change.

“He has lied about how the renewable energies impact the electric grid. He has called support for clean energy ‘organized propaganda,’ and pitched the debate between fossil fuels and renewables in his words as a clash between liberty and tyranny,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Thursday before the vote, according to the Hill.

George HW Bush’s casket is being carried out of a Houston church after funeral services concluded there, as “Hail to the Chief” is played.

George HW Bush’s casket is being carried out of a Houston church after funeral services concluded there, as “Hail to the Chief” is played.

He’ll be carried by train to College Station, Texas where he is set to be buried.

He’ll be carried by train to College Station, Texas where he is set to be buried.

The executive director of the North Carolina Republican Party says he’s open to a new election if allegations of absentee ballot fraud in the state’s ninth Congressional district prove true.

The executive director of the North Carolina Republican Party says he’s open to a new election if allegations of absentee ballot fraud in the state’s ninth Congressional district prove true.

“This has shaken us to the core,” executive director Dallas Woodhouse told CNN.

“This has shaken us to the core,” executive director Dallas Woodhouse told CNN.

He said he was so upset after watching coverage of the controversy that he threw up.

He said he was so upset after watching coverage of the controversy that he threw up.

“We are not ready to call for a new election yet,” Woodhouse said. “I think we have to let the board of elections come show their hand if they can show that this conceivably could have flipped the race in that neighborhood, we will absolutely support a new election.”

“We are not ready to call for a new election yet,” Woodhouse said. “I think we have to let the board of elections come show their hand if they can show that this conceivably could have flipped the race in that neighborhood, we will absolutely support a new election.”

He said the Republican candidate in the race, Mark Harris, did not know about the activities of an operative working for him who appears to have been running an illegal operation collecting absentee ballots. There is “no way he knew about this stuff and sanctioned it,” Woodhouse said.

He said the Republican candidate in the race, Mark Harris, did not know about the activities of an operative working for him who appears to have been running an illegal operation collecting absentee ballots. There is “no way he knew about this stuff and sanctioned it,” Woodhouse said.

The House passed a two week extension of federal spending legislation to avert a government shutdown, the Wall Street Journal reports.

The House passed a two week extension of federal spending legislation to avert a government shutdown, the Wall Street Journal reports.

The Senate is expected to pass it later Thursday.

The Senate is expected to pass it later Thursday.

The move postpones by two weeks a deadline to agree on new spending bills, which could lead to a government shutdown because Donald Trump are demanding they include $5 billion for his proposed border wall and Democrats refuse.

The move postpones by two weeks a deadline to agree on new spending bills, which could lead to a government shutdown because Donald Trump are demanding they include $5 billion for his proposed border wall and Democrats refuse.

A Maine court has ordered the state to roll out a Medicaid expansion by February.

A Maine court has ordered the state to roll out a Medicaid expansion by February.

Superior Court Justice Michaela Murphy said Thursday that the state has until Feb. 1 to adopt rules implementing Medicaid expansion for eligible Mainers who applied starting July 2, the Associated Press reports.

Superior Court Justice Michaela Murphy said Thursday that the state has until Feb. 1 to adopt rules implementing Medicaid expansion for eligible Mainers who applied starting July 2, the Associated Press reports.

The expansion was approved by voters, but outgoing Gov. Paul LePage asked for a stay to delay the order, which was denied.

The expansion was approved by voters, but outgoing Gov. Paul LePage asked for a stay to delay the order, which was denied.

Grandson George P. Bush and former secretary of state James Baker paid tribute to George HW Bush in eulogies at Houston funeral services.

Grandson George P. Bush and former secretary of state James Baker paid tribute to George HW Bush in eulogies at Houston funeral services.

Baker, a close friend as well as cabinet member, called Bush a “charter member of the greatest generation” and said, “His incredible service to our nation and the world are already etched into the marble of time.”

Baker, a close friend as well as cabinet member, called Bush a “charter member of the greatest generation” and said, “His incredible service to our nation and the world are already etched into the marble of time.”

He hailed Bush’s work bringing the cold war to an end, signing nuclear arms control deals, and beating back Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait in the first Gulf War.

He hailed Bush’s work bringing the cold war to an end, signing nuclear arms control deals, and beating back Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait in the first Gulf War.

“The world became a better place because George Bush occupied the White House,” he said. “He was not considered a skilled speaker, but his deeds were quite elegant.”

“The world became a better place because George Bush occupied the White House,” he said. “He was not considered a skilled speaker, but his deeds were quite elegant.”

Baker said Bush, who was defeated for re-election by Bill Clinton, is “beyond any doubt our nation’s very best one term president.”

Baker said Bush, who was defeated for re-election by Bill Clinton, is “beyond any doubt our nation’s very best one term president.”

George P. Bush shared the more personal side of the man he knew as “Gampy,” remembering how he made time for his grandkids, organizing horse shoe matchups and fly fishing expeditions and sending them heart-felt letters at school. He would serve of spreads of barbecue, pork rinds with hot sauce, and the “healthy complement” of Blue Bell ice cream and Klondike bars.

George P. Bush shared the more personal side of the man he knew as “Gampy,” remembering how he made time for his grandkids, organizing horse shoe matchups and fly fishing expeditions and sending them heart-felt letters at school. He would serve of spreads of barbecue, pork rinds with hot sauce, and the “healthy complement” of Blue Bell ice cream and Klondike bars.

“We all grew up in awe of my grandfather,” he said.

“We all grew up in awe of my grandfather,” he said.

Bush hailed his grandfather’s legacy of service, and called him the “most gracious, most decent, most humble man that I will ever know.”

Bush hailed his grandfather’s legacy of service, and called him the “most gracious, most decent, most humble man that I will ever know.”

Senators from both parties are meeting Thursday to hash out a deal on legislation to punish Saudi Arabia for the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Senators from both parties are meeting Thursday to hash out a deal on legislation to punish Saudi Arabia for the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

The measures could curtail US involvement in the Saudi-led war in Yemen, suspend arm sales with Saudi Arabia, CNN reported. And a proposed resolution would officially blame Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman for the Washington Post columnist’s murder at a Saudi consulate in Istanbul.

The measures could curtail US involvement in the Saudi-led war in Yemen, suspend arm sales with Saudi Arabia, CNN reported. And a proposed resolution would officially blame Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman for the Washington Post columnist’s murder at a Saudi consulate in Istanbul.

Participating in the meeting were Republicans Bob Corker of Tennessee, Todd Young of Indiana and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Democrats Bob Menendez of New Jersey and Chris Murphy of Connecticut.

Participating in the meeting were Republicans Bob Corker of Tennessee, Todd Young of Indiana and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Democrats Bob Menendez of New Jersey and Chris Murphy of Connecticut.

“There’s a lot of momentum,” Corker told CNN.

“There’s a lot of momentum,” Corker told CNN.

Hillary Clinton is condemning moves by lame duck GOP legislatures in Wisconsin and Michigan to limit the power of incoming Democratic governors.

Hillary Clinton is condemning moves by lame duck GOP legislatures in Wisconsin and Michigan to limit the power of incoming Democratic governors.

Republicans in Michigan and Wisconsin lost elections on Nov. 6. Rather than respect the will of voters, they're using their last few weeks in office to pass laws limiting the power of new governors and put roadblocks on voting. It's not just anti-Democratic. It's anti-democratic.

Republicans in Michigan and Wisconsin lost elections on Nov. 6. Rather than respect the will of voters, they're using their last few weeks in office to pass laws limiting the power of new governors and put roadblocks on voting. It's not just anti-Democratic. It's anti-democratic.

This is not in line with American values, and it’s a dangerous path. It's a fundamental building block of democracy that elected representatives respect the outcome of elections. To ignore those outcomes is to silence voters and endanger the health of our democracy itself.

This is not in line with American values, and it’s a dangerous path. It's a fundamental building block of democracy that elected representatives respect the outcome of elections. To ignore those outcomes is to silence voters and endanger the health of our democracy itself.

House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi says the election fraud allegations in a North Carolina Congressional race are “undermining the integrity of our elections,” per Talking Points Memo.

House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi says the election fraud allegations in a North Carolina Congressional race are “undermining the integrity of our elections,” per Talking Points Memo.

The legislation would attempt to raise money toward the total by increasing fines for people caught crossing the border illegally, and tightening requirements to qualify for federal tax credits and welfare benefits, the Hill reports.

The legislation would attempt to raise money toward the total by increasing fines for people caught crossing the border illegally, and tightening requirements to qualify for federal tax credits and welfare benefits, the Hill reports.

Sens. Ted Cruz, John Kennedy, James Inhofe and Mike Rounds are sponsoring the legislation.

Sens. Ted Cruz, John Kennedy, James Inhofe and Mike Rounds are sponsoring the legislation.

Trump has said he’s willing to settle for $5 billion for the wall in the current round of budget negotiations, a demand Democrats are balking at.

Trump has said he’s willing to settle for $5 billion for the wall in the current round of budget negotiations, a demand Democrats are balking at.